This application is based on Patent Application 2000-74625 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and specifically relates to an image forming apparatus having a multi-job function capable of storing and executing a plurality of jobs in a specified sequence.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional image forming apparatuses are known which are capable of recording a plurality of jobs within the apparatus and executing these jobs sequentially such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, and multi functions devices combining these functions. In such image forming apparatuses, a reading operation to read another document can be executed even during execution of a print operation. Furthermore, after one print operation has been completed, the printing of another document recorded in the device may be automatically executed.
In addition, the image forming apparatus may be jointly used by a plurality of users when connected to a network.
Disadvantages arise in conventional image forming apparatuses, however, inasmuch as the output development time of a single job of a single user (this output includes data RIP (raster image processor: required size and position of text and images expressed in mathematical expressions and postscript programming language, developed as a painted bitmap) development time, data readout time, and document reading time) takes a long time, and the output of small volume print jobs and rush print jobs are delayed until later. In the conventional art, work efficiency is poor because an image forming apparatus may be monopolized exclusively by the output of a single job during periods of high frequency usage.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the previously described disadvantages by providing an image forming apparatus which is not exclusively monopolized over a long period by a single job.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of controlling the operation of the apparatus in accordance with the time the image forming apparatus is used.
A first aspect of the present invention provides, in an image forming apparatus, a first timer for timing the exclusive use time of the apparatus to complete a first job currently executing, a comparator for comparing the measured exclusive use time to a previously set threshold value, and a controller for controlling the execution of a second job different from the first job based on the comparison result of the comparator.
A second aspect of the present invention provides, in an image forming apparatus, a first determination device for determining whether or not the current time zone is included in a specified time zone, a second determination device for determining whether or not the number of printed sheets of a currently executing first job has exceeded a previously set threshold value, and a controller for controlling the execution of a second job different from the first job based on the determination results of the first determination device and the second determination device.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention.